Post-Sakic retirement press conference thoughts

It’s been about 48 hours since Joe Sakic announced his retirement at the Inverness Hotel, and I wanted to jump in with a few more things before me, my wife and 5-year-old boy go out for some sushi. Technically it’s not in honor of Joe Sakic, but it could be. Sakic ate a lot of sushi (crab roll was his favorite) and he actually still owes me a couple of recipes that I always bugged him about – one for sushi and one for his secret homemade salmon marinade. I will get that out of him at some point, rest assured.

It was a a great event I thought. The Avs really did it up right. The banners won by the Avs all through the years were a great background, and I loved the five Sakic jerseys in front of the press conference table – two from the Quebec days.

I thought Sakic’s address was great. Well written, from the heart and there were things in it where he revealed things I’d never known. I loved the part about him going to his first Canucks game at age 4, sitting up in the nosebleeds.

I thought all the testimonials from others were good. Woody Paige gave a good address I thought, representing the media. He pretty much scrapped his prepared address in the first few minutes and talked off the top of his head. People like to crack on Woody sometimes, but I thought it was a good address, and it represented us well.

I might take issue with him some say about his declaration that he gave Sakic his nickname of “Quoteless Joe” (I think I came up with it), but oh well.

Adam Foote gave a nice address as well. He didn’t crack up, he said, because he didn’t look over at Sakic or Pierre Lacroix except for a quick second or two. If he did any more than that, he said, he would have lost it.

In my first question to Sakic during the Q&A part, I got choked up for a second or two. It’s weird; it feels like your whole life is flashing before your eyes in events like these. Graduations, farewell retirement speeches, any kind of gathering where you’re essentially saying goodbye to somebody or something you’ve known and/or cared about for a long time, it hits you when you start talking about it in front of those people or places or things. It sneaks up on you suddenly – all the memories in a flash – and it can get emotional.

Otherwise, I held it together. In fact, Sakic’s wife, Debbie, said one of the reasons why she didn’t break down on stage is because she kept looking at ME – because I was not bawling or anything. Only when the mike came to me and it was time to talk did I feel a frog in the throat.

The video was real good, too. How about that crew cut Sakic had his first year in Quebec?

I wish a few more ex-teammates could have made it, guys like Forsberg or Roy or even Peter Stastny. But there wasn’t a whole lot of notice on this thing, so it’s understandable. (Plus, would it have been just a little awkward if Roy had been there, after the events of this summer? I think so).

About the question of who was better, Sakic or Yzerman, the blog I posted the other day: it’s tough. I can go back and forth on who I might pick as “better” overall. Yzerman had more points and more Cups. To me, that’s tough to top, which is why I put Stevie Y at No. 9 in an all-time list of top 10 forwards for the paper the other day, and Quoteless Joe No. 10.

But honestly, I could easily argue, successfully I think, why Joe was better. That Olympic MVP trophy is huge, for one thing. Doing it on the world stage like that, for a country absolutely starved for a gold medal for the last 50 years? People should not underestimate how hard that is/was and what an accomplishment that was for Sakic in 2002.

Plus, there is no question that Sakic had better playoff performances than Stevie Y. At his very best in the playoffs – in ’96 and 2001 – Sakic had performances that Stevie never attained. Yeah, Yzerman won a Conn Smythe one year (1998), where he produced 24 points (six goals) in 22 games. That was Yzerman’s career best in a playoff season, points-wise.

Sakic twice did better than that, with 34 points in 1996 and 26 in ’01. He is the all-time leader in playoff overtime goals.

Adrian, Well said, and I like how you “spun” it in the end about “quoteless Joe” being number 9 overall…admit, you thought that the whole time!! Either way Joe, we’re going to miss you!

Scott

Adrian, Well said, and I like how you “spun” it in the end about “quoteless Joe” being number 9 overall…admit, you thought that the whole time!! Either way Joe, we’re going to miss you!

Trisha

The retirement conference was well done. Very emotional. The video was awesome and Woody’s speech was heartfelt. I watched it once on NHL Network and once on Altitude. NHL Network had some footage I had never seen before and good interviews with Steve Yzerman, Ray Bourque, and Paul Stastny.
There is no question that Joe Sakic was a better clutch player, he may be the best ever. I can’t imagine anyone breaking his playoff overtime goal record anytime soon.

Trisha

The retirement conference was well done. Very emotional. The video was awesome and Woody’s speech was heartfelt. I watched it once on NHL Network and once on Altitude. NHL Network had some footage I had never seen before and good interviews with Steve Yzerman, Ray Bourque, and Paul Stastny.
There is no question that Joe Sakic was a better clutch player, he may be the best ever. I can’t imagine anyone breaking his playoff overtime goal record anytime soon.

Ken J.

Yeah, losers of the Stanley Cup on home ice in Game 7 after saying you were looking forward to winning it on home ice in Game 7, too DAMN BAD!

Ken J.

Yeah, losers of the Stanley Cup on home ice in Game 7 after saying you were looking forward to winning it on home ice in Game 7, too DAMN BAD!

Erin Durst

Thank you for posting this, I thought it was a very emotional conference and I was surprised given how everyone had been half expecting it HOW emotional I got watching it at home from a time zone away. My mother, who lives in the area, said even the newscasters were crying. In shots of you you looked like you were holding it together better than Adam. Sakic’s emotion was very catching and he did show off his sense of humor pretty well which he usually doesn’t. As always his wife looked gracious and beautiful, and it’s great that they met in Swift Current before all this stuff happened–I had forgotten that.

Yzerman had a significant edge in games played. In points per game, Sakic did have more. I don’t think there’s a need to figure out who is better. They are different players with similar qualities.

As for Forsberg and Roy I was not surprised to see Forsberg–Sweden is a long ways to come for the press conference. But hope he will be there for the number retirement, same goes for Roy.

Definitely felt that when Sakic was talking about rebuilding and I thought that was a beautiful thing to talk about and not required of him to address, he was talking to two different populations.

#1 The fans.
#2 The young players. Hope it sinks in especially for Stastny and Duchene, and for a different reason, Wolksi.

On a personal note, your name, AD, was mentioned publicly (loved the dig by Pierre) at the retirement announcement of one of the best players of all time and you got to personally address him at that moment of his life. I would think if I were you, I would be very moved and honored by that. I realize you’re around these guys a lot, but nevertheless, it is pretty cool.

Well, that was rambling. But I was very moved.

Erin Durst

Thank you for posting this, I thought it was a very emotional conference and I was surprised given how everyone had been half expecting it HOW emotional I got watching it at home from a time zone away. My mother, who lives in the area, said even the newscasters were crying. In shots of you you looked like you were holding it together better than Adam. Sakic’s emotion was very catching and he did show off his sense of humor pretty well which he usually doesn’t. As always his wife looked gracious and beautiful, and it’s great that they met in Swift Current before all this stuff happened–I had forgotten that.

Yzerman had a significant edge in games played. In points per game, Sakic did have more. I don’t think there’s a need to figure out who is better. They are different players with similar qualities.

As for Forsberg and Roy I was not surprised to see Forsberg–Sweden is a long ways to come for the press conference. But hope he will be there for the number retirement, same goes for Roy.

Definitely felt that when Sakic was talking about rebuilding and I thought that was a beautiful thing to talk about and not required of him to address, he was talking to two different populations.

#1 The fans.
#2 The young players. Hope it sinks in especially for Stastny and Duchene, and for a different reason, Wolksi.

On a personal note, your name, AD, was mentioned publicly (loved the dig by Pierre) at the retirement announcement of one of the best players of all time and you got to personally address him at that moment of his life. I would think if I were you, I would be very moved and honored by that. I realize you’re around these guys a lot, but nevertheless, it is pretty cool.

Well, that was rambling. But I was very moved.

Rob

AD – I thought you asked good questions during the Q&A, but why so persistent with the one regarding what his morning was like? Any chance Sherman noticed Yeller in the room and thought about signing him?

Rob

AD – I thought you asked good questions during the Q&A, but why so persistent with the one regarding what his morning was like? Any chance Sherman noticed Yeller in the room and thought about signing him?

Todd

Awkward or not, Roy should have been there. And Peter, too, for that matter. I hope they had good excuses.

Todd

Awkward or not, Roy should have been there. And Peter, too, for that matter. I hope they had good excuses.

David

It was a good press conference/ceremony. Sakic is total class, but I’m sure that speech was harder for him than a cross check by Scott Stevens. It’s not lost on me that Dater should be the one up there for the “media” rather than Paige, but oh well – Pierre did mention AD as someone above already noted. Credit to AD for calling the retirement correctly some time ago – right after Sakic’s back injury. Let’s hope Sakic joins the Avalanche in management in a few years.. Pierre said a spot is open for him today in the DP article.

Now that we are a one newspaper town, do Chambers, Armstrong, Paige, Dater and Frei all try to “scoop” each other at these things? AD is a cold, impartial journalist, but I give you credit for having some investment in the situation. I doubt you were the one that had to be told to stand during the ovation.

Thought it was interesting how #77 said Sakic asked him to be Captain at the time of the move from Boston. Speaking of, AD, who do you think will wear the “C” next season?

David

It was a good press conference/ceremony. Sakic is total class, but I’m sure that speech was harder for him than a cross check by Scott Stevens. It’s not lost on me that Dater should be the one up there for the “media” rather than Paige, but oh well – Pierre did mention AD as someone above already noted. Credit to AD for calling the retirement correctly some time ago – right after Sakic’s back injury. Let’s hope Sakic joins the Avalanche in management in a few years.. Pierre said a spot is open for him today in the DP article.

Now that we are a one newspaper town, do Chambers, Armstrong, Paige, Dater and Frei all try to “scoop” each other at these things? AD is a cold, impartial journalist, but I give you credit for having some investment in the situation. I doubt you were the one that had to be told to stand during the ovation.

Thought it was interesting how #77 said Sakic asked him to be Captain at the time of the move from Boston. Speaking of, AD, who do you think will wear the “C” next season?

Beachie

@Todd – Forsberg was in Sweden. Perhaps it is just me, but I think that constitutes a good excuse.

Beachie

@Todd – Forsberg was in Sweden. Perhaps it is just me, but I think that constitutes a good excuse.

I just want to touch up on a few things in regards to Sakic vs Yzerman debate.

First off, they were both amazing players and very hard to compare but out of all the things I have read there are a few missing that I think help in solidifying Sakic as being the better of the two.

One of the things never mentioned is that Sakic in 2000-2001 won the league MVP trophy and Yzerman never won that. He had a lot of great seasons but never not once won the MVP trophy for a season. (the Hart trophy)

Also, the fact that if you take the regular season points by both players and divide them by the number of games played, Sakic averaged more points per game in the regular season and playoffs than Yzerman. Yes Yzerman ended up with more points than Sakic in the regular season but he also played more games. Sakic has the better points per game average.

My two cents………

Brendan Toniolo

I just want to touch up on a few things in regards to Sakic vs Yzerman debate.

First off, they were both amazing players and very hard to compare but out of all the things I have read there are a few missing that I think help in solidifying Sakic as being the better of the two.

One of the things never mentioned is that Sakic in 2000-2001 won the league MVP trophy and Yzerman never won that. He had a lot of great seasons but never not once won the MVP trophy for a season. (the Hart trophy)

Also, the fact that if you take the regular season points by both players and divide them by the number of games played, Sakic averaged more points per game in the regular season and playoffs than Yzerman. Yes Yzerman ended up with more points than Sakic in the regular season but he also played more games. Sakic has the better points per game average.

My two cents………

Tweedinator

Just a note on Sakic’s haircut as a rookie, I beleive he was a victim of hazing by some of the senior players on the Nords at the time and they shaved his head. I remember Joe spoke out about it and said it wasn’t right and to my knowledge the organization put a stop to it after that.

And yeah, Sakic was better than Yzerman, no question. Sakic avergaed more points per game in his career and played 136 fewer games than Yzerman.

Tweedinator

Just a note on Sakic’s haircut as a rookie, I beleive he was a victim of hazing by some of the senior players on the Nords at the time and they shaved his head. I remember Joe spoke out about it and said it wasn’t right and to my knowledge the organization put a stop to it after that.

And yeah, Sakic was better than Yzerman, no question. Sakic avergaed more points per game in his career and played 136 fewer games than Yzerman.

Jeru1975

I agree with everything positive stated about the retirement. I entirely agree and, honestly, was a little shocked when Paige took the stage instead of AD. I don’t know the reasons but I did think it was a little disrespectful to have Paige talk and not Dater.

As far as I’m concerned, Paige’s 5-10 articles a year on the Avs do not warrant a speech at Joe’s retirement.

Jeru1975

I agree with everything positive stated about the retirement. I entirely agree and, honestly, was a little shocked when Paige took the stage instead of AD. I don’t know the reasons but I did think it was a little disrespectful to have Paige talk and not Dater.

As far as I’m concerned, Paige’s 5-10 articles a year on the Avs do not warrant a speech at Joe’s retirement.

Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.

Chambers covers college and professional hockey for The Denver Post. He has written for the Post since 1994, after dumping his first 9-to-5 office job a couple years out of college. He primarily follows the University of Denver hockey team and helps cover the Avalanche.